McDevitt denied director's position of Albermarle MHC on basis of history at SMC LME: mental health news

How refreshing it would be to have public officials speak their mind & lead us to the truth---- instead of shadow boxing & mincing words.

Instead, what we get is an 'afterthought': whoops, made a boo-boo. Correct, Ms. Wainwright: Tom McDevitt was not a good choice on the basis of persistent (as in 5+ years) of forwarding all the mental health business to his buddy, Joe Ferraro, CEO of Meridian Behavioral Health Services.

As per comments on the below article, it appears that this sentiment of favoring the providers who 'go along to get along' or some criteria that is not available-----was going to set the tone for Albermarle MHC----direly in need of a professional, ethical, non-tarnished leader.

Relatedly, Leza Wainwright, Director of MH within NC DHHS, stated, as pertaining to her removal of Tom McDevitt to head up financially insolvent Albermarle MHC----a day or two after she had appointed him:

*************
http://www.dailyadvance.com/news/wainwright-pulls-choice-to-head-amhc-391448.html?moreComments=true


"...Leza Wright, director of the state Division of Mental Health, insisted Thursday night that McDevitt, former head of the Smoky Mountain Center mental health agency, was ideally suited to righting the ship at AMHC.

But Friday afternoon, Wainwright told The Daily Advance that “the shadow that had been cast” by some of McDevitt’s activities while he was employed at the SMC would make it difficult for him to succeed at the critical task of rebuilding public trust at AMHC.

Wainwright said she still believed McDevitt, who was appointed to head AMHC earlier this week, would have been successful at two tasks critical to AMHC’s future success: establishing partnerships to provide comprehensive services and restoring sound financial management. ..."

****************
Dear Leza Wainwright: please note one of the comments to this article at the Daily Advance which indicates the problem----about to take place at Albermarle MHC-----which was exactly the problem under McDevitt while he directed Smoky Mountain Center LME:

***************

"Needs to be investigated
01/23/2009 11:25:03 PM
Someone needs to investigate the interim director's preferential treatment to certain local private providers. Personal friends seem to have their information fast-tracked for endorsement. "

*************

McDevitt may not have been fired but he was drummed out of his position and it appears that a well known Dem Haywood county commissioner fell because of her stand re: McDevitt.

Tom McDevitt became increasingly unpopular over here in western NC re:

1. he was pulling down two salaries associated w/ mental health management

2. he allowed his former co-director of SMC, Joe Ferraro (retired from SMC), CEO of Meridian Behavioral Health Services, to pick up the lion's share of mental health services, putting at risk the presence of other professional mental health providers not associated w/ Meridian.

Contrary to what Wainwright suggested, there is no advantage to McDevitt being from the 'other end of the state'; indeed, there is a disadvantage in terms of people in eastern NC not knowing much about what has taken place over here, in western NC.